Game apparatus.



w. w. DUNCAN;

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18, 1910.

1; Patented Mar. 7, 1911.

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GAME APPARATUS. APPLIUATION FILED JUNE 18,1910. 7

Patented Mar. 7, 1911.

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WILLIAM W. DUNCAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

GAME APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented l'tIar. 7, 1911.

Application filerl June 18, 1910. Serial No. 567,720.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WiLLiAM IV. DUNCAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatuses, of which the following is a specifi cation.

This invention relates to improvements in game apparatuses, and has for one of its objects to provide a simple and instructive game in representation of a game of baseball.

Another object of the invention is to provide a game-board representing a base-ball field provided with a series of grooves running from one corner thereof, and into which a game piece preferably a spherical body, is adapted to be projected from the corner, of the field designated as the homeplate.

lVith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims, but it will be understood that changes in the specific structure may be made within the scope of the claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a plan view of a game-board made in accordance with my invention, Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1 taken through the first and third bases, Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the batting device, Fig. 4 is a detail longitudinal section through the end of the bat, Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 3, Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6(5 of Fig. 1 showing the pockets. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of the bat showing a modification thereof.

Referring to the drawings, 10 represents the game-board, having suitably formed on the surface thereof, and at one corner, representation of the home-plate 11, and at suitable distances therefrom, respectively 1st, 2nd, 3rd bases, and the base lines between. In the same corner with the home-plate is an open fan shaped space 12, in which is located the batting device, in representation of a bat 13 pivoted on a pin 14 to the base of the board, to swing horizontally, and a spring 15 secured at one end at 16 to the handle end of the bat and at its other to the game-board.

Extending radially from the fan shaped space 12, out into the field, is a series of grooves 18, formed in the surface of the boar In each of the grooves 18, is set a gutter or channel member 19 formed of a single strip or material, bent so as to have the horizontal bottom 2 and the upstanding sides 21, with the upper ends rolled over as t 22, to prevent the projectile bouncing out and guiding same in its passage along the channel of the gutter. Extending through the first base and out into the field, and also through the third base and out into the field, is a gutter or channel 23, which forms the foul lines of the ball-field. The grooves and gutters above mentioned are numbered from 1 to 11, the one (3 of which extends through the pitchers box, second base, where near its outer end is formed a depression or pocket 24, to receive the ball should the same roll that far.

The grooves are of varying lengths, the ones numbered 2, 5, 7, and 10, being the shortest and of the same length, while those numbered 1 and 8, are slightly longer and of approximately the same length. The ones numbered 3 and 9, are longer than the others, and extend out respectively, to posit-ions of left and right field. Near the ends of the grooves 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, and 10, are formed the pockets 2 1, similar to the one in the channel passing through the second base, the ones marked 4 and 8 and the foul lines being without pockets. It will be noticed in the drawings, that the fielders positions are marked thereon. In playing the game the ball is rolled from the pitchers box along the groove 6 toward the bat, by one of the players, while the other player holds the bat drawn backward in position to be released to strike the ball, when the same gets near it. hen struck by the bat the ball will then be projected into one of the grooves, and according to the force exerted thereagainst, will travel along varying distances in the said grooves, the grooves being marked at suitable distances along their lengths with indications of the different plays of the game. Should the ball be knocked into the groove 6 and travel clear to the end, this will inclicate a home-run, but should the ball stop in the pocket 24:, this would indicate that center-fielder had caught the ball thus making the man out. The same would be the case in the other grooves containing the pockets, the ball dropping into the pocket indicating that the fielder had caught the ball, and the man was out.

The bat 13 of the batting device, has a rectangular recess 27 formed in its side face, adjacent one end thereof, and in this recess is positioned a pivoted plate 28 having formed centrally on its lower face a perforated ear 29. The ear is adapted to be seated in a semi-circular recess 30 formed in the bottom wall of the recess 27, and receives a pin 81 which passes transversely through the hat, a short distance below the recess 27. This construction and arrangement of the bat, provides a certain amount of diliiculty in projecting the ball into any particular groove, the plate 28 being allowed certain amount of play, in its rocking movement, on the pin 31, so that unless the ball is struck directly over the pivot pin, it would be liable to be thrown in any direction.

As shown, in Fig. 7, the end of the bat 13 is formed with a curved recess 27, in which the ball will strike when rolled from the pitchers box.

What is claimed is:

1. A game device comprising a board, said board having a series of shallow grooves radiating from one corner thereof, and of various lengths, the inner ends of said grooves being disposed in an arc of which the adjacent corner of the board is the center, a batting device disposed in the said corner, and channel members secured in said grooves, said channel members having the upper edges of their side walls inwardly curved, the inner ends of each of the side walls of the said channels being secured to the wall of the adjacent channel member, said channels adapted to receive a spherical projectile thrown by the said batting device.

2. A game device comprising a board, channel members secured to said board and radiating from one corner of said board, said channel members consisting of a bottom wall, vertically disposed side walls, said side walls having their upper edges rolled inwardly, a number of said channel members having depressions near their outer ends, and formed in their bottom walls, and some of the channel members being plain, the side walls of each of the channel members being secured at their inner ends to the side walls of the adjacent channel members, the inner ends of said channels being flared outwardly to form entrances to said channels, said channels adaoted to have a spherical projectile rolled along its length, andabatting device located in the said corner of the board, said batting device comprising a bar pivoted near the center of its length to the board, a coil secured to one end of the bar and to the board, and a loosely pivoted plate in the free end of said bar, said plate seated within a recess in the bar, said batting device adapted to project the said spherical projectile into any one of said channel members.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM W. DUNCAN. lVitnesses HAROLD C. MARsrI, ARTHUR F. CLARKE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

